Apprenticeship Ambassador Katherine Mordecai, a Mechanical Engineering Apprentice with the Science & Technology Facilities Council at Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, visited her former school, Burford School, this week to talk to students in Year 11 as part of an information session on post-16 options.

Having left Burford School at the end of Year 11, Katherine was keen to share her experiences with students who are deciding what to do after their GCSEs, just as she was three years ago. At 19, she is now three-quarters of the way through her 4 year Apprenticeship and loving every minute! Katherine helped to bring Apprenticeships to life for the students as she talked about her exciting role, the experience and qualifications she has gained, opportunities to travel abroad and the friends she has made through the scheme.

Judith Knowles, Careers Lead at Burford School, pictured with Katherine above, said: “The students and staff of Burford School were delighted to welcome former student Katherine Mordecai back in to school to talk to pupils about her experience as an Engineering Apprentice with Rutherford Appleton Laboratory.”

“Katherine was a GCSE student here at Burford School three years ago. She contributed to a Year 11 PHSE session explaining the range of post-GCSE options open to students. Katherine talked to students about the wide range of experience and skills she has gained as part of her Engineering Apprenticeship, including a seven-week placement she had spent at CERN, the European research laboratory in Switzerland that operates the largest particle physics laboratory in the world.” 

“It was wonderful to see one of our former students forging such an exciting career for herself. We hope that her presentation has helped to enthuse both male and female students alike.”

Katherine says: “Going back to my school to inspire the next set of leavers was superb and getting to show them some of the amazing opportunities and experiences I have had throughout my Apprenticeship was amazing. I hope I have inspired them to look at Apprenticeships as a career path and follow their dreams.”